AILÍN

Tuesday, 30 January 2018

It brings to end a period of over 5 years where I have been a carer for either of my parents. I'm exhausted. No-one asks if you will be their carer, the responsibility is just assumed. Despite not necessarily wanting to be a carer, I did my best.

In March 2014, just 4 months after my mum died of lung cancer, my father was diagnosed with bowel cancer. This was the start of a tough and challenging time for me. He had to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy (thankfully as an in-patient) for 6 weeks, following this he had major surgery to remove the tumours and create an ileostomy.

His surgery didn't got that well, they couldn't close the wound and had to pack him because he bled heavily, he required 7 units of blood. They had to place him in ICU, pack the wound and return him to theatre the next day to complete his surgery. He was in hospital for 3 weeks, followed by 3 weeks in a nursing home step-down bed before he was discharged home.

He managed his ileostomy very well and quickly regained his independence and back to driving his car.

In Nov 2016 he needed a blood transfusion because a routine blood picture revealed a low haemoglobin count. This was to become the start of regular transfusions.

Sunday, 26 February 2017

I always vote. I rarely feel that it achieves anything. The same old faces are elected time and again. They never deliver anything except a mountain of rhetoric. Politics has become completely distant from the electors. Greed and contempt is how most politicians are viewed by the ever increasing numbers of non-voters.

When they want your support they claim the other side are trying to rob your identify or culture. They politicise everything from marriage equality to the Irish language.

I loathe politicians. From luny left to the far right zealots. One thing they have in common is their contempt for those who put them there.

Sunday, 10 April 2016

I've just completed my 9th Host stay organised by Host UK. The student who stayed with me was from New Zealand and I've hopefully encouraged him to register to vote and to use it in the EU referendum in June.

I really enjoyed this visit, John has a strong interest in politics and world affairs so he appreciated visiting various parts of Belfast and seeing some of our famous landmarks along the North Coast.

Sunday, 3 May 2015

Recently I been fortunate to host two international students. One from India and one from Bosnia. It's been a total joy. Both have been incredibly sweet and fun in their different ways.

Host UK the organization which arranges the visits was established to help improve the student experience, to provide the opportunity to stay in different parts of the UK and to learn more about the cultural differences in the host country.

Hosts are from various backgrounds and commit to one visit but most do many more.